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The National Immigration Administration (NIA) has announced five measures to facilitate foreign visitors, the measures are set to take effect starting Thursday (today). They include relaxing visa application requirements and simplifying visa application materials.Officials from the immigration department said during a press conference on Thursday that foreign nationals who urgently need to engage in business cooperation, visiting, investment and other non-diplomatic and non-official activities, could enter China by directly applying for a port visa if they are unable to secure a visa from the embassy in time.However, they would still need an invitation letter and other supporting materials when applying for an entry visa at the port.9 airports in China now allows a 24-hour transit without going through immigration (See the list below).Foreign passengers with international connecting flights within 24 hours can transit through any of these airports to a third country or region without going through immigration procedures and enjoy visa-free transit.Visa Extension for Short-time VisitorsForeigners who are in China for a short period of time to engage in business cooperation, visiting, investment, and other non-diplomatic and official activities, may apply for a visa extension or replacement from the local exit and entry administration of the public security office if they have legitimate and reasonable reasons to continue staying in China.Foreigners in China who need to enter and exit the country multiple times for legitimate reasons can apply for a multiple-entry visa by submitting an invitation letter and other relevant supporting documents to the exit and entry administration.Less Documents Required for Visa ApplicationFor foreign nationals applying for visas, if their accommodation registration records and business licenses can be accessed through information sharing, they are exempt from providing relevant paper documents for verification.For foreign nationals in China applying for short-term family reunion visas, a declaration of kinship by the inviting person can be used instead of proof of kinship.As China ramp up efforts to open up to the outside world, the NIA has also vowed to enhance entry and exit procedures to accommodate the demand from both domestic and foreign individuals and entities.The immigration authority is proactively collaborating with relevant authorities to address key challenges and obstacles pertaining to the entry of foreigners for business, study, and tourism in China.According to the immigration authority, there were 210 million visitors who entered China in 2023, which is about 62.9 percent of the number of visitors who entered the country in 2019.That number will continue rising in 2024, owing to the resumption of international flights and cross-border personnel exchanges, said official from the National Immigration Administration.Reference: NIA, GlobalTimes
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